Los Angeles daily herald., 1887-08-23
THE STRIKE.
II IL Formally Declared-Nanf-
Sesto by Manager Baker.

When the employees of the Baker
Iron Works presented themselves at
the company's office last evening they
found the following notice posted up
for their inspection:
"GENTLEMEN-We have decided
that we cannot accede to your request
For particulars we refer you to to-
morrow mornings papers"
BAKER UNION IRON Works.
The mechanics, foundrymen and
others who had petitioned for the
decrease in their hours of labor at
once decided to act on Their pre-
arranged plans, and accordingly
agreed among themselves not to re-
turn to work until their demands
have been complied with. The strike
therefore has been formally declared,
and went into operation this morn
ing.
The following letter from the man
agement fully explains the position
they have taken, and the grounds for
denial to their employees demands.
GENTLEMEN-Yourr request or rather
demand for an unconditional surren-
der, calls only for Eyes or no." for
you seemed to ignore our request tor
you to appoint committee of confer
ence to confer with us, but gave us
your ultimatum.
First, then, speaking for myself, l
will say have always entertained the
greatest admiration for good
mechanic, and when that eminent
Southern Congressman referred to the
Northern mechanic as mud-sllls, L
always thought he paid them greater
compliment than he. intended, for in
all superstructure the mud-sill is an
important part. This being the fact,
harmony should exist between the
employer and employe. For this rea-
son we asked of you to appoint COM
mittee to meet us.
There are among you gentlemen
who have worked for me good many
years, and | think will bear me out in
saying that always extended to them
the same courtesy | asked. But your
reply in the Tribune, saying | misrep-
resented what l gave the Express re-
porter, was certainly unbecoming to
you as a body They were facts, as
taken from our pay roll, namely
Seventy-six who signed and thirty-six
who did not.
In asking us to surrender our works
into your hands you did not even say
who you should appoint as a receiver,
but we were led to inter that it is a
self-constituted company who is in
that business and aspires to control all
the business of the country that en-
ploys labor.
Now, we had little pride in build
ing our works, and built it in vain
hope that in this boasted land OF free
dom we would be permitted to manage
our business as we thought best, barr
ing the infringement on the rights Of
others.
But it seems we were mistaken, but
if we accede to your demands we must
run our business as you direct.
We are not quite ready yet to sur
render our business into the hands OF
a company whose ability to run it, we
think, is not any better than our own.
Consequently we say "emphatically'
we shall not give you pay for ten
hours work and get but nine.
We are as positive in this refusal as
YOU were in your demands. This be-
ing the case, of course there is no
other alternative but that the rela-
tions heretofore existing between us
are ended, and we must fill your place
as best we can.
However, before parting we would
- .tn hn
In us as a corporation the reasons
are so apparent to every thinking
person that for us to accede to your
demand would be virtually to surren-
der our business into your hands or
some other company you represent.
Your demands drove us into a corner
and gave us no quarter but an imme-
diate surrender.
Now one word more. We do not now
nor never did question the right OF
YOU or any one else to work as many
or as few hours as they choose but we
do most "emphatically" deny the
right for YOU or any one else TO say
how many hours each day we shall
run our business.
If when you say you can work but
nine hours for days work, and we
say we must run our works ten, and
this was all you did say or imply, it
would put different phase on the
question.
But when you represent an organiz-
alton that says: We will support you
as long as you are idle or until you
gain your point; and forsooth part
of our force or workmen choose to con-
tinue as they have been doing-to
work ten hours for ten hours pay,
you or your hackers, as you call
them, say to these men: "4ou can
not work there until we are admitted
ourselves;" and, in fact, they are in
timidated and dare not come into our
works. Then it becomes a matter the
public is interested in, namely ,person-
al rights.
We don't propose to enter into the
discussion OF the question any further
at this time, but say we cannot be ac-
cessory to the perpetuity OF any such
principle.
If we cannot leave on record any
good we have done, we don't propose
to have it said of us we sacrificed a
principle for policy.
We exceedingly regret that anything
of this kind has occurred, but we most
emphatically disclaim our company
being in the least accountable for it.
Let the consequences be what they
NAV in dollars and cents, We are in
hopes grateful public, when it COM
prehends the situation, will justify us.
Criminal N0tes.
n ShnoIx, n